Guatemala joins the Clean Seas campaign and steps up efforts to beat plastic pollution

  • 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have signed up to the United Nations-led campaign to drastically reduce plastic pollution in the oceans.
  • Guatemala pledged to increase the collection of waste in rivers through innovative plastic-catching bio-fences around the country.
  • The announcement was made on the sidelines of the XXI Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean

A vision to curtail pollutants and pollution in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has one of the most dynamic and diverse manufacturing sectors in the Caribbean, which implies the use of hazardous chemicals. As a Party to the Basel, Stockholm, Rotterdam, and Minamata Conventions the Dominican Republic aims to raise awareness of the dangers and risks of chemicals on human health and the environment and establish guidelines on how to address them.

Pedalling for clean air in Latin America

Transportation produces 25 per cent of emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean.  With the air of most of the region’s capital cities becoming literally unbreathable, biking has captured the imagination of thousands of Latin Americans. Four of the main capitals have taken steps to promote sustainable mobility options to beat air pollution and are encouraging pedaling as a concrete measure to clean the air.

The Caribbean addresses the scourge of plastic pollution

“Our world is swamped by harmful plastic waste. Microplastics in the seas now outnumber stars in our galaxy. From remote islands to the Artic, nowhere is untouched. If present trends continue, by 2050, our oceans will have more plastic than fish. The message is simple: reject single use plastic. Refuse what you can't reuse. Together, we can chart a path to a cleaner, greener world,” said United Nations Secretary General António Guterres.

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